


Heat and Serve

by houxvertetbruyere



Series: Neighbors [2]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Domestic Fluff, Emotions, Huddling For Warmth, M/M, bonding over dead dads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:27:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27090451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/houxvertetbruyere/pseuds/houxvertetbruyere
Summary: Jim kind of can’t believe his sexy neighbor is in his house. It’s only been ten minutes, but still. He’s suddenly paranoid that it smells weird or that his couch is noticeably stained. Which is absurd because he hosts a book club once a month and he has his friends over for dinner like- every other week. He’s not incredibly attracted to his friends, though.Trektober Day 15 - Cuddling for Warmth
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy
Series: Neighbors [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1960426
Comments: 14
Kudos: 60
Collections: Trektober 2020





	Heat and Serve

**Author's Note:**

> I got sick this week so here's some backlog

Jim kind of can’t believe his sexy neighbor is in his house. It’s only been ten minutes, but still. He’s suddenly paranoid that it smells weird or that his couch is noticeably stained. Which is absurd because he hosts a book club once a month and he has his friends over for dinner like- every other week. He’s not incredibly attracted to his friends, though.

“Thank you, again,” Leonard says and Jim nods. He’s still shivering where sitting on Jim’s couch, angled in front of the fire and holding a mug of coffee. “I’ve been so absorbed in my work I just didn’t pay attention to the news.” 

It’s still snowing outside but it’s slowed to sparse light flakes. The only real light brightening up the place is coming from his wood stove which is radiating intense heat.

Jim sets down a plate with a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches and two bowls of tomato soup. He’d had to go into the fridge to get to the cheese but it's worth it for the grateful way Leonard sighs on his first bite.

“Well, even if you had,” Jim says, “they’ve been saying all week the storm would come tonight, not this morning. You said you’re off for the weekend?” He’s hopeful he can get Bones really talking to him. It will be a very awkward rest of the day, otherwise.

Bones swallows down a bite of sandwich with some coffee before speaking.

“Yeah, I only work one weekend a month. Perks of my position, I guess.”

“Oh yeah? You work at Wentworth Douglas, right?” Jim blows on a spoonful of soup before eating. It’s only canned soup but it would be a while before the stew is ready and they both need warming up.

“I’m the Chief Surgeon,” Bones agrees, nodding like it's nothing. “Is there oregano in this grilled cheese? It’s delicious.”

Jim grins.

“Not to be that guy but yeah, it’s actually from my garden.”

“Seriously?” Bones’ eyebrows go way up.

“Well, yeah? I mean obviously I picked it months ago before, you know, all this.” He gestures to the window and the snow piling up on the sill.

“Right,” Bones says slowly. “But you must grow a lot. The uh, jam and salsa and all of that was from your garden, too, right?” His eyes are wide and there’s splotches of red on his cheeks. His wet hair is drying kind of haphazardly. It all gives the impression of curious toddler.

“Yeah, everything except the peaches, I got those from a u-pick place. Have you ever done that? I grew up picking apples, berries, even grapes. All the stuff we couldn’t grow ourselves. It’s pretty fun.”

Bones looks down into his coffee with his brows creased at that.

Oh no, Jim thinks. I’ve said something I shouldn’t have and he’s going to clam up again.

But Bones doesn’t clam up, just goes thoughtful. He hums before he talks like he’s lost in a memory.

“Actually, I grew up on a farm in Georgia. We used to grow most of our own stuff, too, though I never thought of it as fun, exactly. My ma was big into preserving stuff. She canned beans and tomatoes, made jams and peach pies every summer.” He trails off and sips his coffee.

“That sounds nice,” Jim says, encouraging. “What happened to the farm?”

“Uh, we sold it. When my pop died.” 

Oh.

“Sorry that was- I shouldn’t have pried.”

Bones waves him off but stays quiet. Jim has always felt the need to fill in silences.

“My dad died when I was a kid,” Jim feels compelled to share. Bones snaps his gaze to him.

“He was in the Coast Guard, loved his job. Was always really proud to tell people what he did. Then when I was six there was a fire on the base. He actually got out okay but they said he went back inside to get a few other people out and just never made it out himself. He was the only casualty, though so I guess he’s like- a hero.” 

Jim isn’t bitter about it anymore, really. The only adult who’d ever given a damn about Jim had asked him to consider therapy and though he’d scoffed at the time, a couple of years later he’d had to admit Coach Pike knew what he was talking about. Therapy and growing up a little did wonders for a child prodigy living under the shadow of his dead hero dad.

“I’m sorry to hear that. Six is too young to lose a parent.” Bones says, his face sincere.

“My pop had a brain aneurysm when I was seventeen. I was supposed to help him remove some old stumps but I was out at the lake kissing Amanda Clark. He tried to do it all himself and just- died right there by the wood chipper. One of the neighbors found him.” Bones swirls his cup. He’s staring into the fire.

“Fuck that’s grim.” The words burst out of Jim before he can think better of it.

Bones looks up at him, startled, and for a long moment they stare at each other, wide-eyed. Then Bones bursts out laughing. He laughs for so long and so hard and that Jim can’t stop himself from joining in.

“Oh God,” Bones wheezes, wiping his eyes. Jim giggles. “What a pair we are. You sure you’re real?”

Jim, still giggling, just nods emphatically. 

“God,” Bones continues on a sigh. His eyes are sparkly wet. “When you appeared at my front door all- looking like _that_ and bringing me food and then just disappeared into the woods after? I honestly thought I dreamt it.” He finishes on a chuckle.

“Oh yeah? You have a lot of dreams about weird neighbors popping out of the woods?”

Bones raises an eyebrow at him.

“Don’t judge me. When the hottest guy you’ve ever seen appears at your front door and then fucks off into the trees it’s hard to keep your head straight.”

Jim snorts.

“Uh, no pun intended.”

“Sure. So… wait, hottest guy you’ve ever seen? I thought you were talking about me.”

Bones levels him with a glare. “I’m not going to dignify that with a response- I assume you’ve got a mirror.” He’s smiling, though.

Jim is kind of flabbergasted. He had hoped for a slow friendship but jumping right into deadly flirtation definitely works.

“So… you thought you were dreaming? That’s why you acted like you were being tortured when I tried to make small talk with you in your driveway?”

Bones looks sheepish. “Yeah, sorry about that. I kicked myself after. I was raised better than that- my ma would have a fit if she knew I didn’t invite you in for tea.”

“Oh if you had invited me in for tea I might’ve fallen in love right there so it’s probably good you didn’t.”

Bones’ gaze narrows and turns dark. He licks his lips which Jim cannot help but watch.

“If I’d invited you in for tea I might not have let you leave.”

Jim has to put another log on the fire and check on the beef he’s braising but he’s never walked away from such a clear invitation before. He’s certainly not going to start now with his incredibly sexy neighbor on his couch for the weekend.

“So,” Jim says, scooting closer on the couch. “Just to be 100% clear. You don’t owe me anything.” Bones rolls his eyes but Jim goes on- has to make sure his point is understood.

“Like, I still want you to stay here even if we don’t do anything, or if you change your mind in the middle, or if I’m the worst kisser you’ve ever met.”

Bones’ face softens and he nods. He puts a big hand on Jim’s thigh and it’s so warm it sends a thrill through Jim. A matching heat blooms in his gut that has nothing to do with the soup.

“I hear you,” Bones says, “no pressure. But you should know it’ll probably be you who changes your mind in the middle. It’s uh- been a while for me.” There’s more there, stuff Jim should ask but- maybe later.

Instead he just nods, they’re inches apart now, Bones’ eyes on his lips. 

Jim whispers, “Been a while for me too. Promise not to judge if you don’t.”

And then Bones kisses him. 

It’s a bit awkward. They have to shuffle around to get into a comfortable position where Jim doesn’t have to crank his neck and Bones doesn’t have a knee digging into him. But when Jim settles into the man’s lap and gets the man’s face between his hands the kiss rockets up in intensity. 

Bones is definitely warming up. His nose and ears are burning red and his hands are like brands on Jim’s back under his shirt, however, a lot of him is still chilly under Jim’s touch. 

“Let’s warm you up, yeah neighbor?” Jim whispers into his mouth. “Gotta share some body heat, get your blood flowing, right?”

Bones groans in disgust.

“I’m already putting out, Jim. Save your gross lines for someone who cares.”

Jim laughs, clear and delighted, and goes back to licking into Bones’ mouth.

The snow will let up in a little, Jim thinks, and it may not snow like this again until after the holidays, but with any luck Bones will just call him next time the power goes out.

Who knows, maybe they’ll be together when it happens.


End file.
